GAWN FAMILY HISTORY

 Descendants of Robert Gawn, Halftown, Co. Antrim:
Born 1782

 

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Hugh was born at Carnkilly, Glenavy. His sister Helena went to Australia in 1850 and married John Whan in Melbourne in 1860.

A brother, Edward (age 19) went to Australia in January 1857 on the Merrie England and then went to NZ (age 27) on the Helen McGaw in Dec 1861. On that voyage he was listed as a Miner from Ireland. Edward must have figured that he could make more money taking supplies to the Goldfields in Central Otago than he could looking for gold, so he bought a wagon and a team of horses. He also carted wool from the Central Otago Stations to the Wool Sales in Dunedin. He was doing this on Dec 24 1890 and his wagon went off the road and he was killed. He is buried in the Gibson family plot in the East Taieri Cemetery.

The following report appeared in The Daily Telegraph.

Daily Telegraph , Issue 6033, 27 December 1890, Page 3
 
FATAL ACCIDENT.

DUNEDIN, This day. Edward Gibson, a carrier, was killed at Widderburn on Tuesday while on his way to Dunback with a load of wool. It is supposed the brake gave way while coming down hill, and he was thrown to the ground, the waggon going over him. Gibson, who is well known, was about fifty years of age, and has a brother at Taieri.

 

Hugh went to Australia in Jan 1858 on the Planter. Maybe he worked the Goldfields there. He went on to NZ about 1866-67 on the Otago. He also bought a team of horses and a wagon and worked with his brother Edward until 1878 when he bought Springfield Farm at North Taieri. He married Nancy Gawn in 1869 and they lived at Caversham, Dunedin until he bought the farm.

Hugh was also a breeder of Clydesdale Horses and he won many prizes in the Show Ring

Matilda was a Nurse and she travelled to England and Australia to visit relatives. She never married and when she retired she returned to the farm and helped with the work. Mary also moved back to the farm after her husband Andrew died. Mary and Andrew had a farm at Stirling, near Balclutha, South Otago.

Both Agnes and Helena lived on the farm and neither of them married.

Robert also worked the farm and never married He died at the age of 46.

Edward was sent back to school an extra year.(they all went to North Taieri School) He kept the farm books and was responsible for buying Greenbank Farm (117 acres) near Outram, West Taieri. Hugh and Eva ran this farm and this was where his family grew up. Frank leased and then later bought Springfield, and when Edward died Greenbank was sold. When Frank died Springfield was also sold.

All the old Gibson’s are buried in the East Taieri Cemetery apart from Frank who is in the Southern Cemetery, Dunedin
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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